Daily Inspiration

Incremental Improvement

A river cuts through a rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence.

As Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu says, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” This is a principle that recovering addicts must live by. But it’s not an easy principle for most of us to accept and follow. As active addicts, we got very used to instant gratification, preferably on a large and/or intense scale. As recovering addicts, we need to learn patience. On days when this is difficult, we simply need to focus on the next right step. Dealing with that gets us one step closer to our goal, and it gives us a sense of accomplishment that recharges our batteries enough to take the next step. Eventually, step-by-step becomes mile-by-mile, and before we know it, we’ve arrived at a milestone.

Just for TodayI will stop trying to get well all at once, choosing instead to be happy with the incremental progress I’m making.